Friends We Are and Family We'll Be
by MegaJinxed13
Summary: The Power connects them all and sometimes it's too much. How each ranger is in some way or another tethered to others and how they work through being a family of friends that keeps growing. A series of one-shot/ficlets that tell just that and how each relationship progresses. Through the good, the bad, the angsty, and the down right humorous! Plz review!
1. And Though The Truth May Vary

_**AN:/ I**_ _ **know**_ _**I should be working on**_ _ **Of Cinderella Slippers and a Deck of Hearts for a Con**_ _**but I'm still trying to work out the kinks for the next chapter. Needless to say, I was really inspired by something the other day and just had to do this before it left me. Anyway on with the story. Disclaimer: Don't own Power Rangers.**_

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 **Summer**

In some different dimension, Summer Landsdown is adopted by her father's cousins when she is a child because both her biological father and mother are busy and feel an attack brewing. Never really feeling any paternal instinct towards her birth parents, she grows up calling the people who adopted her mom and dad. She's told that she has an older brother, fighting the good fight against anything left of Venjix's armies, in what is now the desolate city of New Tech but that he never wanted to part with his past and refused to be adopted. And just like that, Summer never gave him a second thought either. Life goes on. Summer gains humility and sympathy in becoming a ranger, Yellow, to be exact. She gains the best friends anyone could ask for and they grow into the closest thing to a family that Summer has ever had any semblance of. It's perfect.

When RPM gets an outward distress signal from the dimension over, Dr. K sends them all through, having now fixed the air problem, they can take off their masks and walk about freely as they please. Something itches in the back of Summer's mind though. Could she have been happier, knowing a world with her real parents in it? One that's not constantly on the brink of destruction. She intended to find out. It's easy enough to put two and two together.

When the battle ends and everyone disperses to give the current ranger team their moment of victory, Summer tosses the helmet aside and goes about her way. Dr. K said that once the battle is over they have 24 hours to get everything together before they are to be transported at the drop off point. 24 hours is all she needs. Summer makes the excuse of wanting to see the scenery and Dillon makes the offer to come with her but she whispers to him that it's a little bit like soul searching and before he protests Tenaya shuts him up by dragging him over to help her with something, sending a knowing wink to Summer. The yellow girl is grateful to the newly instated pink RPM ranger and sets off.

It's not that hard to get where she needs to go. However, she never thought that it would be so easy to just walk right in. When she rings the doorbell on the massive mansion, another yellow opens the door with a huge smile on her face. "RPM right? Where's the rest of your team?" She giggled giddily and Summer can't help but think that alcohol is involved at this party.

Summer shrugs with a small smile. "The couldn't make it, lots to pack. Sent me instead."

"That's cool! Well my name's Kelsey and come on in! Mr. Collins always love the company!" The Kelsey girl steps aside to let Summer in but she's later dragged away by some guy who strangely reminds her of Dillon, in the brooding looking sort of way. Taking cautious steps inside, Summer braces herself to be met with what could have been her past. She thinks in another life, this is where she'd have grown up and while it's not much different from her own place and no one could ever replace Andrews in warmth, the mansion has got to be filled with more laughs and love than she thought possible or maybe that's just the people that are sharing memories in the hundreds of rooms. Various teams are there, Summer waves to Lily Chapman who chronologically would have been her predecessor, and the girl waves back with a small smile of her own. That's the thing with RPM, while everyone else is welcoming, they're also very cautious at the idea that there is a world out there in which they failed, died even, and through their failure and death, some children took the helm. Over to her left is a various assortment of Ninja Storm and Dino Thunder, some smattering of In Space and Operation Overdrive and others she sees as well. Strangely, the own host's team is nowhere to be seen and Summer speculates that they have already traveled back to their own time frame.

She gets out to the pool table area and that's where she finds him. Joking around and shooting with his friends, trying to quell the obvious heartbreak he's holding in with the charm she's been told time and time again Summer had inherited from him. At side glance she sees the boy, now a man, who would have been her brother, leaning against the wall and drinking with the his team's past red ranger. Trying to be inconspicuous in watching their shared parent but not really doing so well. He keeps glancing over at the pool table as if to confirm that the man hasn't disappeared through thin air. Taking in his features, she thinks that both of them were the perfect mix of their parents but when he smiles it's their father's smile and their mother's expressive looks. Summer was graced with the opposite. They lock eyes and a moment of recognition passed over her once sibling's eyes. Summer's not sure what happened to her in this dimension but her and her brother must not be very close in this world either, if he sends her a questioning and peculiar gaze her way. She turns a bit and gestures with a look as she throws her head over her shoulder to show the emblem on her team's matching jackets, confirming that she is in fact the RPM Ranger Series Operator Yellow and not his little sister crashing a party she doesn't belong to. He gives a small nod of understanding and moves his eyes slowly back over to their father making a shot at the pool table. Obviously, her brother's not the type to be so open about past experiences but she wants to remember tonight. Remember and figure how things could have been. Hold an experience with the person that could have given her love too.

"Nice game." She announces, flouncing on over to grab a pool stick with a charming smile. "How far in are you?" She asks to the two guys playing, hoping that she'll hear his voice for the first time and feel some tethered familiarity.

"Not far." Eric answers gruffly, obviously annoyed at how long it is taking his best friend to make every single shot.

Wes laughs and for a moment Summer gets queasy butterflies, telling her that it's kind and there is always going to be a longing for something like him and her mother (though she's not here now anymore) in her life. "Don't mind Eric, he's just sore that perfection takes time. Want to join?" He smiles right at her. It's just an invitation, one she had planned for him to make and what she had been gearing up for the moment she put on the bravado and grabbed the pool stick but the moment he smiles at her, that slips. Just for a second mind you, but still she feels like she's 5 again and that it's not her mom and dad (or aunt and uncle really. The more time she spends in this world the more she wishes it were true.) that are bandaging up her scraped knee from climbing that tree, it's Andrews. But Summer's a ranger, she's taken on monsters 50 times her size and danced with the best of them, hell, she almost got married to someone she didn't care about and still she wasn't scared. Right now though, that small invitation was the scariest moment of her life.

"Sure." She finally breathes out with a small chuckle and Wes makes room for her to join. And that's how she spends her 24 hours, playing pool with her father, making jokes, having a good time, and getting to know that this life would have been fine.

Summer finds out a lot of things. They both share a love for cookies (even if both their teammates scold them, saying that the carbs will make them slow and fat, Eric for him, Dr. K for her), both learned to ride a motorcycle at the same age too (12!), and both try and make there own path as opposed to the ones laid out by their parents. They share a lot and Summer is sad when it starts to come to a close. When she finally begins to head to the door, grabbing her jacket from the chair she tossed it on, Wes says he'll walk her out. Summer doesn't want to give the sickly wrong impression and though she's for sure that he's still in love with her mother, she still can't help but think that walking Summer out the door has some underlying meaning to it. But it's the last time she will see him again in who knows how long, so Summer will cherish what she has and allow him to do so.

As they walk towards her bike in silence, Wes breaks it with a revelation. "Sky told me who you were."

Summer is speechless but when she finally finds her voice she can feel it cracking and tears welling up, something so foreign to her now, something that she hasn't done since Venjix took Andrews from her. "I'm um not the same Summer he knows...I uh…" She runs her hair nervously through her hair, another trait that they share as he scratches the back of his. "You weren't in my life where I come from." She states, licking her dry lips, feeling the tears slowly slip down. _**Great**_ , she thinks to herself _**first time meeting him and already I'm a mess**_. "I don't know where you went but you left me and never came back. I think you're gone now. So that's why I-" At that, a sob broke through and, crushingly so, Wes engulfs his arms around her and all at once Summer feels as though she can't breathe and everything is clear; so heavy and so light as well. Her knees buckle under her and she's staining his red t-shirt with her tears as Wes holds her soothing with quiet whispers, telling her that he's right here and rubbing her back with small comforting circles. It's a breakdown. She hasn't had one in a very long time, in where she comes from and their line of work, breaking down is not a luxury that they can afford. It's nice.

So that's how Summer spends her 24 hours and only in the last few does she do it in full fledge truth. When she leaves, she makes a promise that every time she comes back she stays with her father Wes Collins. And every time she breaks down. And every time she thinks life would have been better.


	2. Ship Will Carry Our Bodies Safe To Shore

_**AN:/**_ **So this chapter was sparked by the intense similarities of Xander Bly and Chase Randall. Seriously it's uncanny. I wanted to delve into the form of distaste and inferiority within not only rangers but in family and what better way then to make two _so_ similar people related. I do sprinkle in some Riley turmoil for you guys because I honestly think that he and Chase have potential. I imagine that while Chase is more open with his feelings he's having a hard time sorting them out for a certain friend. In my mind Chase is an aesthetic, as in his finds love in beautiful things whether that be a person's personality or attractiveness, sometimes mistaken for pansexuality... which in my mind is what Xander is but doesn't want to admit it. He's confused with what he wants and who and for so much hate to be besotted on him from the one thing that he can't come to terms with in wanting... well this happens. Again, I do not support nor deny incest but the concept of it is intriguing from a character development's pov. So, onward! Please review!**

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Chase has never been too fond of his cousin, Xander. Maybe it's the fact that they both weren't exactly the closest of cousins, what with his family living in New Zealand and Xander's in Australia but were forced to find familial perspective in each other. In all honesty, the only two people who got along at their little family gettogethers were their mothers and that's only because they were sisters. It was almost like they were two parts of a carbon copy of some sorts. Smooth talkers who love to charm and outwit many, both enjoying skateboarding and have the greatest of friends. Well, maybe the last part didn't come until later. Doesn't matter, to Chase Randall, he was jacked out of his own chance at individuality.

As kids, Xander was the older cousin that Chase was forced to talk to over the phone at least once a month. It was their mothers' idea, in hopes of them getting better along since their baby temper tantrum fiasco (one baby steals another's baby bottle from them and they're branded for life!)...obviously it didn't work. The conversations were either that of dull droning or of one-uping of each other. There really was no happy medium.

When Xander left to the US to pursue college, Chase finally thought he would have his own path. An opportunity to not feel like some 2.0 drone that only ever does what the original does (except he's obviously the better model of the two) and doesn't throw a fit about it. Oh how wrong he was. His plans are thrown astray when his parents hear of the magnificent things that _Xander_ is doing in America, so it's only right of them to throw their one and only child out of their house and ship him off to California, where he'll " _gain some discipline and responsibility."_

Sure, he gets the best people in his life because of it and the Power is amazing. Far beyond any high that an adrenaline junky as himself could wish for but it was all because of a decision someone else made based on his not so blood related twin. And that's what irks him. It's no matter though. Xander can't possibly know the awesomeness of being a Power Ranger.

….Life sucks. A battle ensues and suddenly everyone is pulled to the front lines. Everyone. Every Ranger, of every color, from every city and time, to defeat a mass of almost every monster. When it's all ended, Chase thinks he should chat his way up at the get together party. Bet people haven't ever heard a foreign voice as smooth as his. How wrong he is. Deciding to first charm the Blue Mystic Force Ranger (he likes the whole book worm type) is a bad idea when her Red suddenly steps in and gives him a cocky smirk as he puts his arm around Maddie (the sweet girl is oblivious to the whole fact that he's glaring at Chase with those intense eyes as the guy kisses her temple), Chase thinks he'd better pursue his conquests elsewhere. It's then he notices that everyone from his team have found their people. Tyler is taking up some advice with some of the other reds as they drink by the bonfire. Koda is trying to take on Rocky DeSantos in a burger eating contest (there's money involved and Chase already put his on the Blue caveman). Ivan is telling a tale of knighthood as others gather around to hear his plight. Kendall is speaking to a blond woman who resembles her in some uncanny ways. Shelby is having her little girl spasms of geeking out and rambling about how awesome it is to be with other rangers to the pinks. That's when he sees it, Riley is laughing along to something some guy he's talking to said. Chase can't see the guy because his back is facing Chase's line of sight but whatever he's saying sure has Riley smiling and enthralled.

A spike bubbles in Chase. It's something that the young man hasn't fully come to terms with but Riley is… something different. The guy infuriates him to no end and yet he can't help thinking that he's the best kind of person out there in the world. He knows that the others feel the same way just...not on the same _level_. It scares Chase. A lot. He knows that it's not something to be ashamed of and while he's never openly admitted it, Chase would never deny what he wants. When it comes down to it Chase is a lover of beautiful things and honestly that's why he flirts so often. He sees the beauty in everything and everyone. Riley is a different story. The Black Dino Charge Rangers isn't exactly sure that Riley feels or just tries to deny it completely that he feels the same way. In turn, situations like this happen.

Chase comes over, drink in hand, fake smile, and bitter voice in all, ready to try and outshine whatever is making Riley happy. Or just make him mad. Any emotion that Chase can get out of the guy, other than a loathing friendship, is a step in the right direction. "What's so funny?"

Riley is still laughing and is trying to calm himself down, when he motions to the brunette standing next to Chase (just because he can, the black ranger throws his rudeness towards the other guy and refuses to get a good look at him, even if they are feet away). "Xander here, was just telling me how this one time with his strange cousin-" After that Chase blanks out the rest. He turns to face the man who he'd always lived in the shadows for with a tight smirk and his grip on the cup he's holding tightens. Xander has the audacity to give him a smug look and once over.

"Is that right?" Chase shares the inside conversation with his own cousin, who he's detested for more than a good chunk of his life.

If at all possible, Xander's shit-eating grin grows wider. "What's that American saying, Riles?" Chase clenches his teeth underneath his otherwise calm composure. Xander knows what he's doing. Xander has _always_ known what he's doing. And _**Riles**_ is something to help get under Chase's skin. "If the shoe fits?" Riley throws his head back in laughing agreement and for a moment Chase wants to punch his cousin for besting him in gaining true sincerity from someone he cares about in a matter of seconds, something that he's been trying to work with Riley for ages on but remembers that other idiom about blood being thicker than water. Really the truth is he just wants to punch Xander for making Riley laugh and smile in such a carefree way. Xander throws him another once over with a knowing smile. "Clearly, not much has changed."

Riley's laughter stops abruptly in what he just heard. "Huh?" It's at that point Chase thinks the following: screw water, let's draw blood!

Throwing his cup down, he pounds a right hook into his Aussie cousin's too perfect face. And that's where the fight starts. At first Chase is pounding away, rage that had built, stacked years upon years of being second best to _him_ , finally boiling over. Of course Xander is the veteran ranger and magic and charming his way out of situations could only go so far sometimes in battle. Gaining the upperhand Xander pulls them up and punches Chase in his sides and ribcages, hard. Their pretty sure that there's a scene building, what with them smashing over and breaking the glass punch container and tables and chairs hitting the ground. It's not until Tommy and Adam pull them apart, that he gets a good look at his otherwise perfect cousin. He's bruised and battered and his hair's a mess and no way will anyone think that Xander's got a pretty face now! Though from the heavy breathing that Chase himself is doing and the iron he tastes on the inside of his mouth, he can't help but think that he's no worse for wear.

Adam's holding Xander back and the older kid is struggling to break free, when he yells to his cousin. " _What's_ _your_ _ **problem?!**_ "

And finally, Chase let's it out. After years of holding it in and endless family reunions, growing up in constant disdain for one another, forever being the mini follower. " _ **You!**_ " Chase yells and the party is dead silent. He can feel it. His cousin's teammates are standing on the other side looking like they are gearing up, getting ready to defend their green and jump in. Chase's teammates must be scared by what they just witnessed. He assumes that Koda has a fearful look on his face towards his friend, Ivan is trying to make sense of what just happened, Shelby has a hand to her mouth trying to hold back her tears as Tyler tucks her into his side trying to shield her from more pain, and then there's Riley...not sure how to handle what just went down. These are just speculations but true. "Always _you_." Chase almost breaks if he were the breaking type.

Tommy sends Adam a look and they agree silently. Pushing the boys out of their grasp with force, Adam gives a command. "Go clean up!"

Tommy tells them too. "And get whatever _this_ is, under control!"

As both of them slink off to the house, they can feel the eyes of many taking in the scene. When they enter they try and steer clear of the rangers that are enjoying the party inside as they quietly make their way upstairs to the bathroom. Chase goes in first. Glancing into the mirror, yeah he does appear completely roughed up and as he rubs water on his face and pats himself dry with a towel, he can't help but think there is still some business to take care of. Opening the door, he sees a deep in thought, Xander, leaning against the wall, head down and arms crossed. Chase is about to get ready for another tussle because really all that pent up energy he built up was stopped short but is cut off when Xander grabs the back of his neck and head and pulls him in for a bruising kiss. It's searing and hurts so much that Chase thinks that the cut on his lip might have gashed more with the dried blood becoming more smoothing. Before Chase can push him off and ask what the hell, Xander flings him to the side, runs into the bathroom, and slams the door. Leaving Chase more confused and still with some repressed tension.

Xander stays in the bathroom a long time. Chase counts at least an hour until he hears the door knob turn, from his position against the wall sitting on the floor. He'd been thinking, legs sprawled out and head back, trying to remember everything about Xander, everything that Chase had missed when it was not as obvious as one would think. So he hears the door knob turn but then it moves back to it's original position and the click of the lock is pressed again. Chase waits another ten minuets, sighs and gets up from his area to trudge downstairs, hands deep in pockets and head hung low.

When Chase gets to the end of the stairs, his friends are all waiting with soft comforting smiles, ready to go home. As they walk out laughing, trying to ease the awkward elephant in the room of the fight, Chase turns his head slightly to running steps. Xander grabs him by the arm with an alarmed look on his face. "Wait, Chase-!" Xander stops short now noticing Chase's teammates surround him. The black ranger gives a small nodd to the others and they move to walk further ahead with only Riley hanging back, just a little hesitant before cautiously turning around and catching up with everyone else.

Chase gives a tired sigh. "What is it Xander?"

"About- I...when I-" Xander kept trying but failing to figure out what to say. It was then that Chase looked at his cousin. **_Really_** looked at him. In this moment, vulnerable and unsure of life, Xander seemed almost human, instead of someone larger than life. Instead of someone who dictated every move Chase himself had ever made because some loudmouth Australian made it first. He wasn't someone that Chase's parents wanted him to live up to and with what just happened he doubted that they'd welcome him as easily but maybe that was something they shared. Maybe all along it wasn't Xander that Chase was failing at being, it was Chase whom _Xander_ failed to live up to. And that was their defining moment. Xander always had the possibility of breaking, not Chase. There lied the difference. Watching him fumble, Chase realized that he had forgiven Xander, long before he started hating him.

"You should really be careful." Chase spoke cutting off this tirade of failed apologies. Xander stopped stunned, wondering what he was talking about. "With your emotions, you should really be careful." Chase delved further. "Not everyone is as forgiving as you or I."

Xander was relieved but still tense. "Thanks." Chase nodded but Xander could tell that he still had more to say.

"We're not the same Xander." It was a statement but it spoke volumes and Xander felt himself hurting inside at such a promise. "We never were." Chase reiterated. This time Xander nodded but somberly. "I think it would be best if we stayed away from each other. For good." And as Chase said this, a part of him was screaming in agony that something wasn't right but they had to keep going. Chase felt a little part of him breaking but he'd squander it later with something else to fill the emptiness.

"Right." Was all Xander could say. They stared at one another a beat longer. Taking in the final deviation from themselves. Life was never meant for the same soul of two bodies. And with that they headed their separate ways.


	3. Don't Listen to A Word I Say (Pt I)

_**AN:/**_ **Okay so while the last chapter dealt with inferiority, this one deals with abandonment issues. Another uncanny similarity I see is with Gia from (Super) Megaforce and Taylor from Wild Force. Both are strong willed seemingly perfect but both have an attitude about them along with a need to lead their team when the reds can't. While most people say that Kira Ford and Taylor have a lot in common I see it more with these two than them but I will address that in an upcoming chapter. This one's a two parter. Enjoy the angst. Please review and tell me what you think!.**

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Everything about Gia Moran is close to perfect. Close to perfect hair, close to perfect body, close to perfect grades, style, smile, and eyes. That's not to say that everything about her is a picture perfect girl. Her attitude, she's been told, could use a little work. What most people didn't know was that underneath her cool, confident exterior there was a fierce warrior trying to break free. She could say the nicest things to everyone else but when she's with her friends she's second in command. Something that most people find a little put offish is Gia's constant need to _be_ perfect. If only they knew why.

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Most kids enjoy spending time with their family. Not Gia. Her mother is one of those stay at home mom's that gossip at neighborhood gatherings and usually only acknowledges her daughter if only to brag to her friends on how perfect Gia is. Gia remembers very little about her real father but her step-dad Ted Moran is a bit of a pig and often with roaming eyes but that's only when Gia and her mother are graced with his presence. Other than that, he's working all the time long hours something that screams _affair_ but no one ever mentions that out in the open. Not her family. Gia doesn't remember a time when her mother was sincerely happy but she knows it happened. Back when Gia's older sister paid attention to the family that she had and didn't run off the first chance she got to become her own person. The older blond girl didn't even bother trying to fit into this already dysfunctional family, deciding to keep their father's last name was her form of taking a stance and running off to join the air force was what her mother called " _a form of rebellion_ ". She was just trying to hurt mom by doing what dad did and never once looking back. Not even to check up on the little sister she left behind. The little sister that, up until the point of befriending Emma, felt like there was no one out there to have her back and not until she gained more friends and a goofball of an imperfect opposite boyfriend did she realize that maybe she never had a sister to begin with. Maybe Taylor Earhardt was just a myth and legend that Gia made up. Oh how she wish she could fool herself in believing that.

It's a ranger reunion...because really when is it not when these things go down. They're all goofing off, having a grand old time because this time there's _games_. The competition is tough but the younger generation always tries to make a name for themselves. Prove that they are worthy of the Power and are willing to live up to the legends. They're suppose to be taking a break, eating lunch, and discussing their strategy for the rest of the ranger games but Gia steals a couple of fries, pecks Jake on the cheek with a shared knowing grin, and wanders off to the practice firing range. Gia is shooting away, hitting every point on target when suddenly she hears behind her a voice.

"I get that you'll beat out the kiddies but what makes you think you could ever beat me?" A smooth low voice tells her. Gia stops her firing momentarily to rise to the challenge. Putting down the weapon, she turns with hands on her hips, a glare emminitting on her face and eyebrow raised.

"What makes you think you're the best to beat?" Gia responds back noting the shocked look on the man's face means that she was not who he was expecting. From the official getup and red beret sitting on top of his head, Gia guesses police force, Silver Guardian if she's correct. "And I sure hope you taking a jab at your own age because this _kiddie_ is well under 20 and will probably shoot you out in that round." She insinuates insultingly because if there is anything she learned from growing up around her mom's friends it's that passive aggressive comments are meant to be said with ice in the veins.

The man seems a little perplexed but covers it up quickly. "Sorry, you're not who I thought you were."

Gia rolls her eyes at this obvious fumble. "Clearly."

He went on to explain further. "It's just from the back you look so much like-"

"Hey!" A rush of blond and yellow flies over. "I knew you'd be trying to get in some extra practice! Scared this year, aren't we?" The woman teases and once she's still, Gia gets a good look. She's perfect. Perfect long blond hair, perfect fit but feminine body, nice perfect shade of yellow for her style, perfect symmetrical 100 watt smile, and perfect crystal blue eyes the same ones that Gia herself holds in her skull. And Gia hates her for it because what's more daunting than finding that you're sister is having a perfect life...without you. Finally noticing the once over that Gia had been giving Taylor, the Wild Force Ranger speaks. "Who's this?" She says with a raised eyebrow, mirroring Gia's own, and a curiosity about her. It's then that a part of Gia shatters. She's not exactly sure whether it's a good part or an already dark part but she's sure that it hurts when your own sibling doesn't recognize you. Gia however, has never been one to give someone else the satisfaction of having the upper hand.

"No one," Gia grunts, bumping her shoulder against the older woman as she walked past. Turning around to see there reaction, Gia can tell that Taylor is none too happy about being ignored by a teenager. "Just your competition. And I _will_ beat you. You can be sure of that." And like the lady that she is, Gia walks away without another word, leaving behind a confused Eric and an irritated Taylor.

When the shooting portion of the games take place, Gia is surprised at how well the other rangers are at this but Gia is in it for the win. She almost loses out to the Dino Thunder Yellow but luckily hits the last target right on point! Ironically, it comes down to Taylor and herself before taking on Eric, who has been reigning champion for the past several years. It stuns everyone when Gia beats Taylor but she still loses to Eric. When Zack, who had chosen to be announcer this year, gives his voice over, no one is more satisfied with Taylor's heart broken face than Gia. "Sorry Gia Moran, Meyers' has this shootout in the bag!" Taylor tries to get through the other rangers to get closer but it's at that time that Gia's team decide to head out and she never gets the chance. And just like all those years ago one sister walks out on the other never once looking back.

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In the days that follow, Gia gets her cell ringing off the line like crazy. Apparently, Taylor found her number when she spoke with Kira Ford who had been talking to Emma at the games. Gia doesn't answer because in all these years she'd been curious about her sister and _now_ she decides to call. It doesn't work like that. Days turn into weeks and weeks into months and the calls stop. Suddenly, it's graduation. It seemed like just yesterday they had defeated their evil in their junior year of high school and now the team's biggest threat is wondering how they'll all stay in touch after they leave for college. Troy and Emma are moving in together after finding an apartment so that Emma can capture surreal pictures in Briarwood for her photography major. Troy was offered a job there by connection of the Mystic Force Pink. Noah was given a chance to study the sea life at Mariner Bay's Local institute and help with some of the part time performances at the water showings under Chad Lee's supervision. And finally, Jake was picked up to go play on a traveling team in Reefside for the summer and then going to school there on a local scholarship. Basically she won't see anyone anytime soon. Ironically, it's her mother who pressures her to tell her what college she plans to attend. Gia has no clue.

One night, Ted has had one too many to drink and Gia had been at the dinner table looking over college applications. It starts off innocent, at least that's what she fools herself into thinking but Gia's a lot smarter than that and in this world they live in innocence is as only as grand as evil. A simple brush of her hair behind her ear and then Ted is eyeing her and…. things become too real and too wrong too fast. Slamming him on the ground for even trying to get anywhere with her, she bolts out the door and drives herself all the way to Jake's house. It's not much but Gia is crying silent tears with a stoic face and her boyfriend is comforting her as best as he can. She ends up staying at the Hollings' place until graduation. Until the very final day, when they all part ways. Gia does the only thing she's good at when she wants to escape drowning in suffocation. She runs.

It doesn't take much but a simple search can tell her where to find Taylor Earhardt...Silver Hills. Ringing the doorbell, Gia feels like she's on the porch for eternity and when a tired Taylor answers the door the only thing she could do was stare her down. "It's Gia!" Taylor calls back to a familiar voice that sounds eerily like Eric Meyers but Gia doesn't dwell. When Taylor looks back Gia can see the exhaustion that's etched on her face. "Mom called." and that's all the explanation Gia needs. Nodding her head slowly, she slings the bag over her shoulder, and tries to peer into the house. Sighing, Taylor widens the door and allows Gia to walk back into her new life. Moving into the guest bedroom, Gia throws down her laptop on the bed and begins to Skype Jake for a good cry. This was going to take some time.


	4. The Screams All Sound The Same (Pt II)

The first few days, Gia barely comes out of the guest room. She doesn't unpack and no one bothers her. It's a bit of a downer… The only true human contact that Gia actually receives is that from the constant Skyping of her friends but there is only so much unrequited love that one girl can take in a sitting. It hurts the most when she tries to get ahold of Emma and ends up getting Emma _and_ Troy and more of them than she wanted to. Once they get covered up and Emma's stopped giggling while Troy isn't avoiding Gia's raised brows, the previous yellow ranger asks about how life is going. It comes to Gia's attention that between their flushed faces of pink and red, that are oh so fitting to them, and their breathy chatter, that they are painfully infatuated with one another. So much that it hurts every fiber of Gia's being because she's reminded of her own boyfriend that is painstakingly cities away. With this revelation Gia signs off, making some joke about those two getting back to business and ending with an excuse to message Noah about how far he's getting in his studies. Gia ends the call but she never starts the other. Instead, she opts for one of the black and green hued assortment. The screen dials and with a relief the face of curly hair, impish dimples, and boyish charm appear on her laptop like a godsend.

"Whaddup?!" Jake claps with an enthusiasm that only he seems to embody with every move he makes. She answers back with nothing much and mumbles that she kind of sort of might have missed him. At this, his smile widens and Gia feels elated at the thought that someone wishes to be with her too. The blond girl decides to go on a tangent about how different it is in Silver Hills and how neither Taylor nor Eric seem to pay any mind that she's been here a full three days straight and not once have they bothered her. Jake nods along and listens, every so often putting his own two cents worth but other than that he patiently listens to his girlfriend's complaints. Gia figures that's what it is. Jake has always been patient, had to have been, ever since middle school when he first realized that he was going to end up with her, no matter what. Perhaps, that's why they work so well together. Where one of them falls short in the relationship, the other picks up with their own characteristics. Like a constant push and pull of gravity, they were the force that centered one another. Deciding to end the day on a good note, Gia gets up to lock the door and returns to her computer to enjoy a more intimate moment with her boyfriend when they were miles away.

* * *

The next day begins as any other, except for one slight change. A knock on her door. When she gives the signal that she's ready Eric Meyers makes an appearance in her doorway.

Clearing his voice, it comes to Gia's attention that they've never really met each other. Sure, she's been staying in his house for the remainder of this time but other than that the only authentic connection they mutually share is Taylor and even that's not much. "Apparently, it's not healthy for you to be cooped up here for indefinite amounts of time." Gia has a sickening feeling that it's Wes Collins who might have brought about this theory and not her sister but it's a small step.

"I'm fine." Gia tries her hand at reassurance and somehow it sounds more forced than anything.

Eric just gives a tired sigh. "No. You're not." He tells her, looking like he wants to say something more but then stops himself short and changes the subject. It doesn't go unnoticed by the blond girl. "Stay out of this room for the whole rest of the day."

Gia lifts a challenging eyebrow. "Is that an order, Officer Meyers?"

Eric narrows his own at how unnecessarily condescending she sounds but then the Quantum ranger reminds himself who she's related to and gives her the benefit of the doubt. If only to save himself from cursing out arrogant yellow blond rangers (Eric's met Summer Landsdown in loo of Wes. He knows. They're all the same: Lily Chapman, Ronny Robinson, Kira Ford, Ashley Hammond, headstrong and the only exception that he can truly think of is that Emily girl, from the team before Gia's own) So he bites back. "Consider it a _strongly worded_ _ **suggestion**_ from the person whose name this house is in." Gia rolls her eyes and huffs as she begins to follow him out into the kitchen and Eric can almost hear the attitude of hers rolling off in waves. Eric's self control levels are to the max.

* * *

That first day out Gia understands the allure that has her sister drawn to the man, even if every move he makes convinces Gia think that Eric Meyers has a stick up his ass. It's that, though begrudgingly stubborn, his intentions are for the best. This is most apparent when Gia opens the fridge door and finds a jar full of jelly contaminating the whole integrity of every content sharing space within the food preserver. _Grape_ jelly to be precise. It's not a common thing but the allergy has put a damper on many a fruit salad in her mother's time. Of course, her allergy had to be _so_ severe that even being in the same vicinity of such a food has caused her to break out in hives and, if gone untreated for a certain amount of time, the repercussions are detrimental. So when Gia slams the door in haste, Eric just looks up from his paper that he's taken to reading and just glares. " _What_ _ **now?**_ "

"I'm allergic to grapes." Gia grumbles unbecomingly. And for a split second, a pause for alarm passes across Eric's face but it is replaced as he quickly jumps straight into action.

Hastily standing up to grab his keys, Eric motions with his head for her to follow. "Come on." He all but commands but for once Gia feels that it might be in her best interest to listen. "We're stocking up on new food. I'll clean the fridge out when we get back home." Gia's not sure if he's demanding she come with her because he doesn't trust her alone in the house or because he's genuinely concerned for her state of health at that second but Gia goes anyway. She thinks that there may be more to the jackass than rules and regulations.

After the food fiasco, it's clear that Eric Meyers is a man of his word. Like he said he would, he cleaned out all the items from the fridge (ordering her to stay sitting on the porch until he had trashed, wiped down, and replaced everything in there), Gia finds it almost admirable if she were inclined to have such a feeling for someone who clearly has no reason to interact with her except...oh yeah, he's banging her sister! In fact Gia soon learns that Taylor is rarely at home until the late evenings. Apparently, she picked up teaching others how to pilot, after she had served her time in the air force. When Eric tells Gia this, she supposes that he expects her to just nod along and say cool like any other younger sibling but instead the younger feistier blond goes for something that makes Eric almost choke on his ever consistent black coffee:

"Hmmm, that's how Daddy croaked." and just walks away from the sputtering Quantum Ranger. Later, that night when she pretends to be asleep, she can hear the raised voices of Taylor and her boyfriend. The words _planes_ , _crashes_ , and their father's name is being thrown around like a used napkin. Finally, one door slams and hers creaks open. Gia can feel the light from the hallway shining through as someone peers in watching over her. How long they watch her, Gia is unsure but she thinks that she might have screwed up. What can she say, she's always been less than perfect. The door closes and Gia falls asleep.

* * *

When Eric finally does go back to work (apparently it was a good idea to observe how well Gia was adjusting) because he _still_ for some reason doesn't trust her alone in the house, the order is made that she's to join him at the Silver Hills Headquarters. With her own bite back Eric is once again reminded how much he's irritated by Taylor through means of her little sister.

"Uh **_no_** ," Gia drawls out, arms crossed, and hip jutted with a look on her face saying that she has no idea how _he_ became the head officer because he's _clearly_ not that sharp. "What will people think when they see _me_ get out of a Silver Guardian cruiser?"

Eric knows it's rhetorical but he can't help himself. "Someone tried to cry their way out one too many speeding tickets?" He deadpanned.

Gia huffed. "As _if_ , they'll think I just been taken in for shoplifting! Do you know what my mother will say if one of her friends from Silver Hills sees me entering a police station?"

At this Eric raised a brow. He was under the impression that Doreen Earhardt, or maybe it's Moran now, didn't give a damn about her children since she sold her soul for money. "I doubt she'll care." and that's the end of the discussion. Gia hates it and more by the day, she hates how right Eric is.

* * *

Somehow, their days and nights go as follows. Gia wakes up and signs on for classes and Eric goes to work. Later when he returns, they squabble over what to eat and who's going to cook but eventually they both end up on opposite ends of the couch, watching the TV drone on, like their days and nights. It's almost an unwritten rule that they don't speak to one another, until Eric decides that he needed to screw everything up.

"She never said anything." The man tells her, not bothering to take his eyes off the screen. When Gia just stares at him with the ultimate feeling of a thousand ton weights hitting her chest, he decides to elaborate. "Taylor. She never said anything about having a sister." Refocusing on the movie in front of her, Gia realizes that she never thought Eric Meyers was a jackass. He just seemed like the perfect scapegoat for Taylor Earhardt's _perfect_ no-strings-attached non-dysfunctional family life. Because he's the closest thing that her sister ever let in.

Feeling the suffocation surround her, Gia gets up abruptly and makes an excuse about going to bed with a headache. She hears Eric get up too and she feels his eyes burn holes in her back but not once does he try to make a stride to comfort her. For that, she's grateful.

* * *

It's one day when Gia is at Silver Hills Headquarters that might make her reconsider this whole idea of being a free floater in the post ranger life. The once yellow crime fighter is typing away on her laptop, when she sees a particularly perky Wes Collins strutt in with pep to his step. Both her and Eric share a raised eyebrow from where they are but Eric makes no move from his desk and nor does Gia from her chair. They'll find out soon enough. The young adult has come to learn that Wes is one of the most positive person she's encountered and that his emotions are very infectious.

Humming a little tune, Wes shuffles over to the calendar and points to the date for show. "Guess what today is?" He tells the both of them but Eric only shakes his head and returns to the paperwork.

"March 20th?" Gia states with a curious smile.

"Yep!" Wes pops the 'p' with enthusiasm. "First day of Spring." He ends wistfully.

At that point, Eric's head shoots up and for whatever reason (though Gia finds it comical) the man has a panicked look upon his face. "Dammit Wes, you were suppose to warn me!"

The former Red Red Time Force Ranger just shrugs and let's out a little bit of a chuckle while shaking his head. Suddenly, a mocking voice cuts through the air. "Aww Eric, and here I thought you'd be excited to see me." A long blond haired girl smirks as she leans up against the doorway.

Eric scoffs. "I would have rather had the Tate kid. At least he has an understanding of sanity, peace, and quiet."

The girl just rolls her eyes and hops along to have Wes engulf her in his embrace. Gia has never felt to be one to intrude but she certainly finds herself viewing this moment as an outsider. After Wes pecks a kiss to the girl's forehead, she takes notice of Gia. "You're Gia Moran. Taylor's sister, right?" The younger girl all but grimaces at the title. But that's what she is now.

"Yeah, I just moved here from Harwood."

"Summer Landsdown." And suddenly it hits Gia why the girl is so familiar. She's Wes' - person? Could have been daughter? The girl _technically_ **is** but in one dimension he's dead and she never knew her family. Makes Gia wonder how unconditional love can transcend worlds but two sisters can't stand to acknowledge the other.

They all go out to dinner Eric, Wes, Summer, and Gia. It's actually relaxing, so much so that when the Megaforce ranger feels her phone vibrate, she ignores the text from Jake. Then, Taylor shows up.

Taylor says hi to everyone in general before going over and giving Summer, who's sitting beside Gia, a hug and whispering happy birthday. It makes her want to puke because of birthdays forgotten( ** _ignored!_** ).

As the night goes on, laughs are exchanged, conversations lead to debates, stories are told but the only words that Gia and Taylor share to one another is "can you pass the ketchup?" To which Taylor just does, without even glancing her way. Finally, it's enough. Braving a convincing( ** _fake!_** ) smile Gia excuses herself to the ladies room hearing the scathing giggle of a tipsy Taylor saying along the lines of "powdering her nose".

As Gia breathes in and out deeply, hunched over the sink, remembering the parts of her that are _her_ and **real,** Summer steps in.

For ten full minutes, Summer says nothing. Gia knows, she counted. Then she says something that leaves a sour taste in her mouth. "Sky hates me too." The RPM girl recalls nonchalantly, running her fingers through her long thick hair. "And I want to loath him just as much with everything within me but I can't." Gia's face of confusion and disgust doesn't unsettle the veteran Yellow one bit. " _But_ … I pretend to. At ranger reunions we'll bicker and send jabs at one another, in front of our friends and teammates. And when Wes chooses Sky over me in certain events, the cruel smirk he sends me doesn't go unnoticed. However, when the opposite happens and I see the hurt in his face while Wes drags me away… I don't get a pleasure out of it. When we're alone together- because you know that fate wants to see how we are when we're the only ones to interact… I pretend to." To Gia things become clearer and muddled once more, with each one of Summer's words. "I pretend to hate him. It's easier that way. Easier than me being bitter to my boyfriend or my best friend on why the person who is supposed to care _doesn't._ Easier than admitting that maybe, to some people, even the closest ones, I'm not worth the effort of being loved." Gia nods, not knowing how else to respond because everything was so _right._ "That saying: **blood is thicker than water**. There's another one: **blood makes you related, loyalty makes you family, and in many cases water is healthier.** "

Summer walked out and Gia's resentment walked back in.

* * *

 _ **AN:/ So this is the second installment of Gia's little chapter. The next one will certainly be the last! I want to give as many characters time in the spotlight so the next chapter might not be her chapter at all but it will come soon. Please Review and tell me what you think!**_


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